An Corner - Pearl Plaza 10 mins Landmark 81

Pearl Plaza feels quiet and underused, with much of the building leased as office space and little foot traffic in the shopping areas. That might suit someone looking for a calm place, but the mall comes across as dull and not very inviting. Even though it has some notable features, it falls short as a lively commercial center, with limited shops and dining, high prices, and service problems. The building opened on July 10, 2011, at the intersection of Điện Biên Phủ and Nguyễn Gia Trí streets in Bình Thạnh district. It has four accessible entrances and includes 26,622 square meters for retail, services, and a supermarket, plus 41,437 square meters of Class A office space and a conference center for up to 1,500 people. The main frontage faces busy Điện Biên Phủ Street. Retail and commercial areas span four floors, with a Coopmart convenience store in the basement, but the layout doesn't make the place feel lively. On the fourth floor there are restaurants including Hoàng Yến Buffet, Gogi House, and Kichi-Kichi. At one of them, the food and service were disappointing: the pork was excessively fatty, and the air conditioning wasn't working properly. Staff also refused a request to grill the meat in the kitchen to avoid the heat at the table, which felt inflexible. The lower levels don't offer much either. The ground floor has a few eateries, Highlands Coffee, and some pastry shops. Highlands Coffee has an inviting atmosphere, but the prices are considerably high, and the pastries also seemed overpriced for what they offered. There's not much variety for different tastes or budgets. The second floor has a travel agency, with few reasons for casual shoppers to go there and no other engaging shops or entertainment. It often feels deserted. A gymnasium takes up the third floor. That may work for fitness enthusiasts, but doesn't bring in the general public or make the mall feel busier.